Apparatus for filling flash lamps



y 1962 v. KOLDA ETAL. 3,032,948

APPARATUS FOR FILLING FLASH LAMPS Filed Aug. 26, 1960 eet 1 lnven tovs: "Frank V. KoLda CLaT'ence 1 Sindg b8 jwlima Their A t liorneg May 8, 1962 F. v. KOLDA ETAL APPARATUS FOR FILLING FLASH LAMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1960 Inventovs Fvank V Kotda H 9 d m i 5 e w w c @WW 3 u T Unit The present invention relates to apparatus for filling flash lamps and especially to apparatus for automatically filling the bulbs of flash lamps with charges of filamentary combustible light-producing material such as shredded foil.

Proper construction and operation of most flash lamps requires that a measured charge of combustible metal, in a shredded or filamentary form, be sealed into a glass bulb together with a combustion supporting gas and a suitable ignition means. The distribution of the shredded material within the glass bulb should be uniform requiring a certain flufling or rearrangement of the shreds within the bulb. Suitable apparatus for cutting metal foil into a shredded or filamentary form is disclosed in Rippl et al. Patent 2,331,230, dated October 5, 1943 and apparatus to load the shredded foil into the interior of glass bulbs is disclosed in Geiger et al. Patent 2,347,046, dated April 18, 1944, both patents being assigned to the same assignee as the instant invention. Such loading apparatus makes use of two filling heads with transporting means to feed the cut foil to first one head and then the other. After a bulb is filled on the first head it is manually transferred to a so-called flufiing head where an air blast rearranges and distributes the shredded foil within the glass bulb at the same time that the operator is loading a second glass bulb on the second filling head. Accordingly, the rates of filling flash lamps and, correspondingly, the rates of operation of the cutting and loading machines, vary widely depending upon the capacity and dexterity of the operator. On the other hand, flash lamp filling apparatus of the instant invention makes it possible to automatically fill and fluff flash lamps in sequence at a uniform and predetermined rate of speed with the filling and fluffing operations taking place simultaneous ly on several bulbs.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide improved apparatus for filling flash lamp bulbs with shreds or filaments of light-producing material at high rates of speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic apparatus for feeding lamp bulbs to, and transferring the bulbs between, a plurality of heads for filling the bulbs with shredded combustible material and subsequently fluffing the material to rearrange it within the interior of the bulb.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved filling apparatus for flash lamps having transfer units for transferring a line of advancing lamp bulbs alternately to a plurality of shredded foil filling heads all to the end that an associated shredded foil cutting mechanism may be operated continuously to supply the filling heads at high rates of speed to increase output and lower costs.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for cutting charges of shredded lightproducing material and filling such charges into flash lamp bulbs in which transfer units are provided to transfer lines of lamp bulbs to a plurality of filling and fluffing heads and in which the transfer units and filling heads are operated alternately under control of the cutting cycle to process a plurality of lamp bulbs through the apparatus at one time.

In accordance with the illustrated form of the invention, the above objects are attained by apparatus which 3,032,948 Patented May 8, 1962 ice includes a feed chute for advancing a line of flash lamp bulbs to an escape mechanism which apportions alternate bulbs between two material filling sections of the apparatus. Each filling section includes a shredded foil filling head and an adjacent flufiing head spaced from the filling head. Separate transfer units grip the bulbs in each section and advance the bulbs first to the filling head where shredded material is forced into the bulb and then to the flufling head where an air blast distributes the material evenly within the interior of the bulb. The transfer unit in each foil filling section operates alternately with the other so that a single foil cutting mechanism and its associated control means may be used to direct a succession of foil shreds first to one filling head and then to the other. In this way, as one foil filling head is being used to fill a lamp bulb in one foil filling section of the appara tus, the other filling head remains inactive so that its associated transfer unit may be operated to remove a filled bulb from the head and insert an unfilled bulb onto the head for filling. At the same time that the transfer unit brings an unfilled bulb to the filling station it simultaneously moves the previously filled bulb to the fluffing head for fluffing of the shredded foil material during the time interval of the filling operation. Finally, the transfer unit removes the fluffed bulb from the flufiing head and releases it over a discharge chute for further processing in manufacture of the flash lamp. By alternately filling and transferring lamp bulbs in two sections of the apparatus, it is possible to fill lamp bulbs at a high rate of speed limited only by the speed at which the cutting mechanism provides charges of filamentary light-producing material, such as shredded foil. For this reason, and in order to attain optimum machine output, the foil filling apparatus is controlled in its operation by the cutting mechanism forming a part thereof.

The subject matter of the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, both as to construction and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention showing the bulb feeding escapement means, the shred filling and fluffing heads, and the transfer units for moving the bulbs there between;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 together with a cutting mechanism for supplying shredded material;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of part of the apparatus showing the control mechanism for the bulb escapement means, the cutting mechanism, and the operating mechanism for the bulb transfer units;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional'view through one head of the bulb transfer units and an associated filling head; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing a bulb mounted on one of the flufiing heads.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, apparatus constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a bulb feed chute comprising. an inclined pair of parallel bars 11 spaced to carry a single row of flash lamp bulbs 2 with the bulb necks down. The lower ends of bars 11, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are mounted upon uprights 3 carried by a frame 4 of the apparatus. Opposite ends of the bars 1-1 preferably extend to a conventional automatic feeder type bulb supply apparatus (not shown) as, for example, a vibrating bowl type feeder. A bulb escapement mechanismlocated adjacent the lower ends of the rods 11 includes a deflector 5 between two branching bulb travel paths de fined by the pairs of spaced vbars 67 and 67. The paths thus defined. provide for. furtheradvance ofv the bulbs 2.; to two receiving or pick-up stations forming part of two foil filling sections ofthe apparatus. A bulb separator includes.two pegs 8 and 9 arranged on the opposite sides of and spaced along the path of bars 1 1 a distance corresponding to the width of a single bulb ,2. Pegs 8 and 9 are mounted on respective arms 10 and 11 carried by the single longitudinal shiftable support rod- 1 2.w The two pegs's and 9isolate and then release individual bulbs 2 when the rodlZ is oscillated back and forth in support bearing 13 and 14 by a solenoid 15. The deflector 5 of the bulb escapement mechanismis located directly beyond the ends of the rods 1-1 and oscillates with a'shaft 16 to bring a single tooth 17 into contact withindividual bulbs in succession so that the bulbs are directed into the separate spaced paths formed by the bars 6-47 and 6'7', respectively.

.As the, bulbs .begin to move along such paths their larger portion rests against the deflector 5 and the curved portions of the bars 6 and 6' during the first portion of their travel. At the same time, the upper portions of the bulbs bear against an overlying disc 18 carried by shaft 16 and the neck portions of the bulbs engage anunderlying plate 19 likewise mounted on the shaft. Disc 18 and plate 19 maintain the bulbs in vertical relationship. Deflector 5 is turned to its alternate position after each bulb 2 slides down into engagementtherewith and in the course of oscillation causes the tooth 17. to push a bulb 2 onto either of the branch paths formed by the bars 6.-7 or 6-7' and into an air stream flowing from jets'29 or 20' which move the bulbs furtheralong the paths. Finally, the larger portions of the bulbs 2 come to rest against a stop 21 or 21" forming a pick-up station and the neck portions are carried into the restricting portions of a guide 22 or 22.

vStops. 21.21' .and guides 22'22' are held in place over the frame'4 of the apparatus by a bracket 23 and spaced uprights 24 hold the bars 6-7 and 6'-7 in place. thereon.

.Oper-ating means for the bulb escapement mechanism lis a'c tuated by a main drive motor 25 (FIG. 3) through a drive .shaft 26 of an auxiliary drive system to which mediate shaft 32 interconnected to drive shaft 26 by bevel gears 33 and 34 and to the control shaft 31 by bevel gears 35 and 36. The. bulb release portion of the 'escapement mechanism actuated by solenoid 15 operates when rotation of the control shaft 31 turns the high portion of a vcam 37 into and out of engagement with the actuating'means of a switch 38 and in so doing makes or breaksthe electrical connections to solenoid 15 from the electrical supply lines 39. That portion of the escapement mechanism which directs the bulbs 2 by means of the deflector 5 to the two different foil filling sections of the apparatus is'o-perated by a reciprocating motion developed between an oil. center pin 40 in disc 41 car ried by control shaft 31 and a connecting rod 42 pivoted to arm 43 carried by 'lay shaft 44. Back and forth rotation of shaft 44 oscillates shaft 16 and deflector 5 through a bevel gear train 45. In this way the single column of bulbs from the supply source is split up into FIG. 1, thebulbs 2 are moved from the receiving station 21 of a respective foil filling section to a filling head 46 .and then to a flufiingfhead 47. Such movements are effected by transfer units A and A, one for each foil filling section, "each unit being provided with a series of three bulb receiving suction cups 48, 49 and 50. All three suction cups 48, 49 and 59 are mounted from a carriage 51 movable both horizontally and vertically and the cups are spaced from each other equal distances corresponding to those between the filling and flufling heads and 47 and between pick-up station 21 and fillinghead 46. In this way, vertical and horizontal reciprocating movements of carriage 51 cause each cup to pickup a bulb 2 at a forward position (to'the left in FIG. 1) and carry it to a rearward position (to the right in FIG. 1). This means that the bulbs are passed successively from one suction cup to the other as they'arelifted from the pick-up station 21 and placed over the filling and flufiing heads. The various parts ofthe second transfer unit A associated with the heads 46 and 47 of the secondfoil filling section on the opposite side of the apparatus from that shown in the forefront of FIG. 1 are of the Same construction but are given primed numbers.

As particularly shown with 'respect to mp4s in FIGT4; all cups 48, 49, 5t) and 48, 49', Sll'havea'curved top portion seating in a collar 52 carried at the lower end of a hollow spindle 53 and are held in place by'tension of a helical spring 54 extending froma pin in the cup and part way up the bore of the hollow spindle. Vertical movement of carriage SI to bring the suction cups 48, 49 and 50 down onto the various bulbs 2 is produced by' movement ofra yoke 55 mounted upon two columns 56 and 57, (FIGS. 1 and 4) which 'extend upwardly'from fixed bearingsin frame '4. Yoke 55 has spaced arms supporting a rod 58 on which carriage 51' slides for horizontal movement. Downward movement of 'yoke 55 and carriage ,51 places rubber sealing rings 59 in the suction cups firmly against the tops 'of' the bulbs 2. Any over travel causes the hollow spindle 53 to be forced upwardly in carriage 51 against the resistance of a helical spring 60 located between a fixed collar 61 on the spindle 53 and a bracket 62 on the carriage 51. In this way the suction cups are pressed firmly against the bulbs to effect a tight seal.

Such seal is maintained by vacuum conducted through the hollow spindles 53 to the hollow cups 48, 49 and 50 and causes the bulbs 2 to be firmly seized when vacuum is applied so that the bulbs can be moved'in accordance with the vertical and horizontal travel of carriage 51. Rubber hoses "63 join all three spindles 53 to a junction manifold 64 which, in turn, is connected through rubber hose 65 and a core tube 66 extending through the column 56 to a source of vacuum (not shown). 'Apparatus for controlling the application'of vacuum to the suction cups will be described later. I

Horizontal movement of carriage 51 is produced by "sliding the carriage along support rod 58 by means of a gear 67 meshing with a rack 68 fastened to carriage 51. Gear 67 is attached to a shaft 69 extending through the supportcolumn 57 and is rotated by means to be described later. Flanges 70 at opposite corner portions of carriage 51 (FIGS. 2 and 4) keep the carriagefrom turning about the support rod 58 since the flanges engage each side of a ridge 71 running across the yoke 55 during horizontal sliding movement of the carriage.

Movement of carriage 51 causes "the suction cups to place bulbs 2 over the filling heads 46 and 46' as the transferring units move back and forth so that the bulbs receive the proper charges of shredded combustible material directly from a cutting mechanism including a rotatable cutter 72. The cutter 72, and associated suction tubes 73 and 73 for conducting the shreds of cut'foil 'to the filling heads 46 and 46', respectively, correspond to the apparatus disclosed in greater detail in the aforesaid Geiger et al. Patent 2,347,046. As sodisclosedflhe cutting mechanism provides for a measured charge of shreds comprising a single bulb fillingto be directed alternately through tubes 73 and 73' first to one of the filling heads '46 and 46' and then to the other.

The foilcutting mechanism employs a rotatable cutting member 72 having a plurality of cutting edges 74 about its periphery to shear narrow shreds along the full width of the end of a sheet 75 of combustible light-producing material such as aluminum or zirconium. One dimension of the cross sectional size of the shred is determined by the thickness of the sheet '75 and the other by the feeding rate of the sheet relative to the speed of rotation of cutter 72. One suitable shred is on the order of .0007 inch square and the width of the sheet 75 may be from six to eight inches.

Rotation of cutter 72 is obtained from the drive motor 25 through a separate drive comprising the motor pulley 27, timing belt 77 and a driver pulley 78. Actuation of the suction tubes 73 and 7 3' to bring the shreds to each filling head 46 and 46 is obtained through this same drive by means of an electrical control actuated from an output shaft 79 of a speed reducer 80 connected to the drive pulley 78. A cam 81 on the speed reducer shaft 79 effects the control by bringing high and low cam portions of equal length into position to maintain a single-pole double-throw switch 82 at alternate switching positions. Switch 82 connects the electrical supply lines to either one of the vacuum control valves 83 or 83' connected into the vacuum pipes 84 and 84', respectively. As shown for example in FIG. 4, vacuum pipe 84 is connected to the filling head 46 so that vacuum appearing therein is likewise applied to the suction pipe 73 connected to a noZZle 85 extending into the head. This means that suction in tube 73 applied at a point adjacent the cutter 72 and bed knife 76 causes the foil shreds to be entrained in the air flow so that they are carried through the suction tube 73 and nozzle 85 to the bulb 2. In a similar way, vacuum pipe 84' applies vacuum to filling head 46' and suction nozzle 73 to fill a second bulb.

After filling, the bulbs 2 are transferred from the filling heads 46 or 46 to the so-called flufiing heads 47 or 47 by the suction cups 419 and 49', respectively. As shown for example in FIG. 5, a bulb 2 rests on fiufling head 47 where a current of air emitted from a nozzle 87 effects rearrangement of the shreds within the interior of the bulb. The direction and velocity of air emitted from the nozzle 87 can be varied in any desired manner. The air flow may be used to obtain uniform distribution of the shreds throughout the bulb 2 or it may be used to compact the shreds in the top or at one side of the bulb 2. These latter arrangements of the shreds allow a second charge of shreds to be properly located therein and, as is sometime required, position the shreds out of contact with a portion of the bulb 2 which will be highly heated in a subsequent manufacturing step. The fiulfing head 47 shown provides a seat for the bulb 2 on a rubber gasket 88, an air feed pipe 89, and an exhaust opening 94 in the side wall of the head. Air swirling around in the bulb is forced out through the bulb neck and exhausted through opening 90.

After fiuffing, the third suction cup 59 or 50' of the corresponding transfer unit grips a bulb 2 and removes it from the fluffing head for release over an unloading chute 91 forming part of a conveying apparatus (not shown). The filled bulb is then subjected to further processing. This bulb transferring operation, like the others performed by the transfer units, must occur in proper timed relation to operation of the filling and fluffing heads. Vertical and horizontal movements of the transfer units A and A, which operate in sequence, will now be described with particular reference to FIG. 3.

Each bulb transfer unit A or A, including its horizontally movable carriage 5151' and the vertically movable yoke 55-55, has a duplicate operating mechanism driven by the auxiliary drive shaft 26 and is synchronized for movement during the idle or non-filling period of its corresponding filling head 46 or 46'. The respective operating mechanisms each provide a short driving shaft 9393 (FIG. 3) having a gear 94-94 meshing with the single gear 95 on the auxiliary drive shaft 26. Al-

though rotating continuously, the gears 9494" operate the transfer units only when the electrical switch 82 of the control for the filling heads 46 and 46' completes an electrical circuit to the electrical clutches 96-96 interconnecting the short driving shaft 93% with a cam shaft 797' of the operating mechanism. The switch 32 completes the circuit from the electrical supply lines 39 to each electrical clutch 96 or 96' and performs this funtion by use of the contacts and circuit used in activating the vauum control valves 83 and 83' connected to the filling heads 46 and 46, respectively. For example, when switch S2 energizes valve 83 to apply suction to head 46 for filling a bulb, clutch 96 is energized to move transfer unit A (in a manner to be described later) but clutch 96 remains dcenergized so that transfer unit A remains stationary during the filling operation through head 46.

Upon energization of clutch 96' the vertical movements of the bulb lifting cups 4%, 4% and 50 of the one transfer unit A are accomplished by vertical movement of the support columns 56' and 57, produced when a cam shaft 97' driven by clutch 96 is turned so that a groove 98 in the face of a cam 99 forces a roller 100' and its I attached cam follower assembly 101' to move vertically.

As shown by FIG. 3, column 5 takes its movement directly from the cam follower assembly 101 inasmuch as it is mounted directly thereon whereas column 56' is simultaneously moved trough an arm 102 which joins the lower portions of the columns 56' and 57. As previously indicated, bearings in the frame 4 of the apparatus guide the columns 56 and 57' and a depending post 103' extending from the bottom of the can follower assembly 101' insures movement of the assembly in a vertical direction.

Horizontal movement of the carriage 51' of the bulb transfer unit A, is controlled by rotation of the shaft 6% within the support column 57', as previously described. As shown by FIG. 3, rotation of shaft 69' is brought about by rotation of a cam 104 secured to the cam shaft 97. A groove 105 in the face of cam 104- is engaged by a roller 1% mounted on a yoke 107 and imparts'a specific vertical motion to the yoke 107' and indirectly rotation of a wide-faced gear 108 carried by cam follower assembly nu. The yoke 1&7 is free to slide vertically between the face of the cam 11M and a flange 169' on the hub thereof and in the course of that movement causes the teeth of a rack to rotate a gear 110 and correspondingly the horizontally extending lay shaft 111 which is retained in bearings (not shown) in the frame of the apparatus. Rotation of shaft 111 is transferred through bevel gears 112' and 113' to a vertical shaft 114 carrying a gear 115 which engages the wide-faced gear 108 on the upward extending shaft 69. The extreme width of the gear 108', which is located between portions of the cam follower assembly 101', enables the gear 108' to remain in mesh with gear 115' throughout the separate up and down motion of the assembly 101'. In this way it is possible to move carriage 51', and its associated suction cups 48, 49' and 50', horizontally immediately after yoke :55 has been elevated by the aforementioned upward movement of cam follower assembly 101'.

To apply vacuum to suction cups 48', 49' and 50 the shaft 97' of the operating mechanism also supports a earn 116' for operating a valve 117 placed in the vacuum supply line 113' fastened to the lower end of the core tube 66 which extends through the column 56 (FIG. 3).

To control the flow of air to the fiufiing head 47, a cam 119' is mounted on shaft 97 to actuate a valve (in FIG. 3 only the corresponding valve 12% is shown cooperating with the coresponding cam 119) inserted in the supply line 89 for connecting the fluffing head to a source of compressed air (see also FIG. 5). Rotation of shaft 97' operates the cams 116 and 119 so that vacuum valve 117 and compressed air valve 120 are operated in proper sequence to release a bulb on the fiuffing head and "apply air pressure to the interior of the bulb. Although the foregoing description has dealt with operation of the transfer unit A it will be manifest that the corresponding transfer'unit A is'operated in like manner with upward movement of cam follower assembly till causing rods 56 and 57 to move yoke 55 upwardly and with yoke 11W rotating gear 1&8 to rotate shaft 59 and thereby move carriage '51 horizontally.

The "sequence in operation of the foil filling apparatus willnow b'e briefly described. Bulbs are released from an inclined feed chute in timed relationship to operation of the maohine. 'Such release iseffected by'the advance and Withdrawal of the peg 8 andthe simultaneous although opposite movement of the peg 9 across thetop edges ofthe rods 1-1 forming the chute with the result that-a succession-of bulbs 2 slide into engagement with the edge of the deflector disc 5 which rotates to direct them'alternatelyto one or the other of the foil filling sections including the parallel bars 6--7 and 6'7'. Air jets '20 'and '20 '(FIG. 2) force the bulbs 2 along the parallel bars into engagement withthe-receiving or-pickup stations-21 arid 21, respectively. At'this point the bulbs are in position to bepicked up by the suction heads 48"afid 4fi','respectively, of the two transfer units A and A shown byFIGSJl and 2. Since -deflector disc 5,- and thecarn operated electricswitch 33 for energizing the solenoid '15 which moves pegs 8 and 9, are both oper: ated by rotation of the controlshaft 31 driven by the main drivemotor 25 through the gear train already described, the bulb escapernent mechanism is operated in" synchronism with the cutter '72 and the bulb transfer units A and A. This-insures an adequate supply of bulbs "at all I times.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the bulb transfer unit A is shown in-bulb-fillingposition and the bulb-transfer unit A in bulb pick-up position. In the bulb-filling operation, transfer unit A is illustrated in the position such that suction cup-48 has just placed a bulb on the filling head 46. X With the bulbin-position to be filled, cutter 72 is rotating continuously'to provide a mass of shredded foil which is about-to be accumulated by the suction tube 73 and delivered -by the nozzle 85 (FIG. 4) into the interior of the bulb. Suction is applied to nozzle 73 be- ;cause valve-83 in the suction line 84 is applying suction to the fiilling head 4-6, the valve having been energized by closure of electric switch 82 operated by cam :81 being driven in synchronism with the cutter through the speed reducing drive 80'. As previously indicated, at the-same time that valve 83 is energized theclutch 96 is likewise energized-to drive shaft 97- so that the second i by the speed of rotation of cutter 72 and the length of timethat switch 82 is energized and valve 83 opened to apply suction to the filling head 46 and suction tube 73. After such predetermined time interval the circuit through cam driven switch 82 is reversed to deenergize suction valve 83and immediately energize suction valve 83' which then applies suction to the alternate filling head '46" and through it to the alternate suction tube 73'. With vacuum always being applied to either of the suc- 'tion" heads 73'or 73"there-is no opportunity for an ac- "cumulation of the shredded foil to back up in the space adjacent cutter 72.

Upon energization of vacuum valve83, clutch 96 is likewise energized by switch 82 to start rotationofshaft 97 so that cam 116 operates valve 117 to remove vacuum from the suction'heads 48, 49 and 50. At the same time, cam follower assembly 101'is elevated by cam 99 and by V means of rod 56 and 57 elevates the yoke 55 (FIG. 1) to 7 remove the suction heads carried by the carriage 51 from in the drawing). If a bulb is missing or broken the light rays focused onthe photocell will not be refracted as engagement with the lamp .bulbs. Once the yoke '55 is in elevated position, continued rotation of shaft 97' causes elevation of yoke 107 thereby driving shaft 111 to retate the shaft 69 extending through column 56 so that gear 67 (FIGS. 1 and 4) moves rack 68 toslide the carriage 51 laterally along the shaft 58 to the left (in the showing of FIGS. 1 and '2') toward a position such that suction cup '48 is in alignment with the next succeeding bulb at the receiving or pick-up station 21. Further rotation of shaft 97 moves the cam follower assembly 101 andgcorrespondingly, the yoke 55 downwardly to bring suction'cup 48 into engagement with-the next succeeding bulb at the pick-up station. Simultaneously, suction cup 49is brought into engagement with the bulb remaining onthe filling head 45. At this point suction valve 117 is again operated by cam 116 to apply vacuum to the suction heads-43, 4i? and '50 which thereby grip the bulbs. Continuedrotation of shaft 97 causes the aforesaid operating mechanisms to reverse the procedure just described by elevating yoke 55 together with the gripped lampbulbs, moving carriage 51 to the right (in the showing of FIGS. 1 and 2') and then lowering the yoke 55 to placethe next succeeding bulb in the filling head 46 and the bulb already filled in the fiuffing head 47. The bulb which occupied the fluffing head 47 has now been removed by suction cup 59 for release into chute 91 when'vacuum is removed from the suction cups.

The complete transfer movement thus described has taken place in the time interval during which vacuum valve 83 has been energized to cause filling of the bulb mounted'onthe alterna.efilling head 46' inasmuch as the operating clutch% is energized for this same period ofrtime. -By alternately energizing the vacuum valves 83 and 83 and correspondingly energizing the clutches '96 and"%, one filling head 46 is being operated tofill a lamp bulb while the other filling head 46 is unused so that the corresponding transfer unit A may be operated to pick up a bulb from the receiving station 21 and place it on the alternate filling'headdd; at the same time, a

:filled bulb is removed from this filling head. Since'all of the equipment is driven in synchronism from a single drive motor 25, and sinceall is under control of the two- -way electrical switch 82, it will be apparent that rows -of bulbs in the alternate filling stations may be filled in sequence from cutter 82 Without interrupting operation of the cutter. In this way the entire apparatus is geared to and controlled by the output of the high speed cutter 72.

It is important to note that during the time interval that the filling'head 46 is in operation, the previously lled bulb is in position on the fiufling head 47 and compressedair is blown into the interior of the bulb through nozzle 87 (FIG. 5) byoperation of valve held open by cam 119 mounted onshaft 97. When shaft 97 rotates tooperate the transfer unitA valve 120 is closed to shut the flow of air through the filling system cannot be properly maintained. Under these abnormal conditions some ofthe shredscan lodge in or straddle the entrance of the suction tubes 7373 or otherwise rest in the suction tubes so as to partially or completely block the shreds passing therethrough in the next cycle of operation. This control, which is disclosed in copending patent application Serial No. 52,142 filed in the name of Clarence F.

Sindy and assigned to the same assignee as the instant inve'ntion, provides light sources +125 arranged to direct beams across the fillingheads 46 and 46', respectively, to energize photocells 126 (only one being shown when they-are intercepted by a properly mounted bulb. Accordingly,- the. electrical outputs of the photocells can be amplified in a conventional way and utilized to interrupt the circuit to one or the other of the vacuum control valves 8383. In this way the control prevents shreds from entering the filling apparatus when a lamp bulb is missing or broken. The shreds at such times fall past the ends of the suction tubes 7373' into a container below.

While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood that numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actually departing from the invention. Therefore, I aim in the appended claims to cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the foregoing disclosure.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for filling and positioning charges of filamentary light-producing material within the interiors of flash lamp bulbs comprising, in combination, means defining a pick-up station for holding a bulb in neckdown position at said station, a filling head spaced a predetermined distance from said station and adapted to receive the open neck of a second bulb to mount the bulb on said filling head, a flufling head spaced a corresponding predetermined distance from said filling head and adapted to receive the open neck of a third bulb to mount the bulb on said fiufiing head, means to insert filamentary material into the interior of the second bulb at the filling head, means to fluif the material within the interior of the third bulb at the flufling head, means to grip the bulbs simultaneously and mechanism for moving said last-mentioned means to simultaneously transfer a bulb from the pick-up station to the filling head and a bulb from the filling head to the fluifing head.

2. Apparatus for filling and positioning charges of filamentary light-producing material within the interiors of flash lamp bulbs comprising, in combination, means defining a pick-up station for holding a bulb in neckdown seated position at said station, a filling head spaced a predetermined distance from said station and adapted to receive the open neck of a second bulb to seat the bulb on said filling head, means to insert filamentary material into the interior of the second bulb at the filling head, a fiuffing head spaced a corresponding predetermined distance from said filling head and adapted to receive the open neck of a third bulb to seat the bulb on said fiufling head, means including an air jet to fluff the material within the interior of the third bulb at the flutfing head, a movable carriage, a plurality of suction cups mounted on said carriage for simultaneously gripping the bulbs, and mechanism for moving said carriage vertically and horizontally in sequence to simultaneously transfer a bulb from the pick-up station to the filling head and a bulb from the filling head to the fiufiing head.

3. In apparatus for filling and positioning charges of filamentary light-producing material within the interiors of flash lamp bulbs, means defining a pick-up station for seating a bulb, means including a filling head spaced a predetermined distance from said station for seating a bulb for insertion of filamentary material into the interior of the bulb, means including a fiufiing head spaced a corresponding predetermined distance from said filling head for seating a bulb to fluff material within the interior of the bulb, and a transfer unit for moving bulbs from the pick-up station to the filling and fiuffing heads in sequence comprising a yoke movable toward and away from said heads, a carriage mounted for horizontal move ment on said yoke, a plurality of spaced gripping means mounted on said carriage for simultaneously gripping the seated lamp bulbs and releasing them in a new position, and means to move said yoke and carriage.

4. Apparatus for filling and positioning charges of shredded light-producing material within the interiors of lamp bulbs comprising, in combination, a cutting mechanism for producing shreds continuously from a strip of the material, means defining a pick-up station for seating a lamp bulb, a filling head spaced from said station and adapted to receive a lamp bulb, a transport tube extending from the head to a point adjacent the cutting mechanism for receiving the charge of shredded material, means for applying vacuum to said filling head so that a charge of shredded material may be drawn from said cutting mechanism and transported through the tube to the filling head for inseltion into a mounted lamp, a fiufiing head spaced fromthe filling head a distance corresponding to the spacing of said pick-up station, means including an air jet to fluff material within the interior of a bulb at the flufiing head, a movable bulb transfer unit including a plurality of spaced vacuum cups for simultaneously gripping the bulbs, and means to operate said bulb transfer unit to simultaneously transfer a bulb from the pick-up station to the filling head and a bulb from the filling head to the fluffing head.

5. Apparatus for filling and positioning charges of shredded light-producing material in lamp bulbs comprising, in combination, a cutter for producing shreds continuously from a strip of the material, means defining a pick-up station for seating a lamp bulb, a filling head spaced from said station and adapted to receive a lamp bulb, a transport tube extending from the head to a point adjacent the cutter, control means actuated by said cutter for applying vacuum to said filling head so that a charge of shredded material may be drawn from said cutter through said tube to the filling head for insertion into a lamp mounted thereon, a flufiing head spaced from the filling head a distance corresponding to the spacing of said pick-up station, means including an air jet to fluff material within the interior of a bulb at the fiufling head, a vertically and horizontally movable bulb transfer unit including a plurality of spaced vacuum cups for simultaneously gripping the bulbs, and means responsive to said cutter actuated control means to move said bulb transfer units to simultaneously transfer a bulb from the pick-up station to the filling head and a bulb from the filling head to the fiufling head.

6. Apparatus for filling charges of shredded lightproducing material into flash lamp bulbs comprising, in combination, a cutter for producing shreds continuously from a strip of the material, means defining a pick-up station for seating a lamp bulb, a filling head spaced from said station and adapted to receive a lamp bulb, a transport tube extending from the filling head to a point adjacent the cutter, control means actuated by said cutter for applying vacuum to said filling head so that a charge of shredded material is drawn from said cutter through said tube to the filling head for insertion into a lamp mounted thereon, a vertically and horizontally movable bulb transfer unit including a plurality of spaced vacuum cups for simultaneously gripping the bulbs, and means responsive to said cutter actuated control means to move said bulb transfer unit to transfer the bulbs from the pick-up station to the filling head in sequence prior to filling of the bulbs.

7. Apparatus for filling and positioning charges of shredded light-producing material into the interior of a plurality of fiash lamp bulbs, said apparatus having a plurality of material filling sections, each section being provided with a pick-up station, a filling head and a flufiing head for seating a plurality of lamp bulbs thereon, a vertically and horizontally movable transfer unit for each material filling section having spaced gripping means for simultaneously gripping the lamp bulbs in a section, means to operate said transfer units selectively to move the bulbs in one of said filling sections from the pick-up station to the filling and fiufiing head in sequence, means operable to feed charges of shredded material to said filling heads in sequence for insertion into lamp bulbs seated thereon, means including air jets operable to fluff the material within the interiors of bulbs seated on said fiuffing head, and means to operate the transfer unit in ll 1 one material filling section for transferring lamp bulbs while filling and flufling the shredded material in the bulbs ofthe other section.

8. Apparatus for filling and positioning charges of shredded light-producing material into the interior of a plurality of flash lampbulbs, said apparatus having a plurality of material fillingsections, each section being provided with an equally spaced pick-up station, filling head and flufling head for receiving a plurality of lamp bulbs thereon, a vertically and horizontally movable transfer unit for each material filling section having spaced gripping means for simultaneously gripping the lamp bulbs in a section, means to operate either of said transfer units to move the bulbs in one of said filling sections successively from the pick-up station to the filling and flufling heads, means operable to feed charges of shredded material toeach of said filling heads in sequence for insertion into lamp bulbs seated thereon, means including air jets operable to fluff the material within the interiors of bulbs seated on said fluifing head, a cutter mechanism for supplying charges of shredded material to each of said feed means, and means controlled by thecutter mechanism to operate the transfer unit in one material filling section while filling .and flufling the shredded material in the bulbs of the other section.

9. Apparatus for filling flash lamp bulbs having an open neck with shreds of combustible light-producing material comprising means for feeding bulbs in neck- ,down positions to two pick-up stations, filling heads spaced horizontally from the stations each having an enclosure to, receive the open neck of a bulb, cutting means for shearing shreds from a sheet of combustible material, suction. tubes extending from the filling heads to points adjacentthe cutting meansfor conducting shreds from said'cutting means to the said filling heads, fluffing heads equally spaced on oppositesides of the filling heads hav- .ing an-air nozzle and an enclosure to support a bulb With its open neck over the nozzle, a movable bulb transfer unitassociated With eachfillinghead and provided with a plurality of suction cups for gripping bulbs to move them in sequence froma pick-up station to corresponding filling and fluffing heads, means operated by the cutting mechanism to move one of said transfer units to transfer bulbs,

.anda second means actuated by the cutting mechanism to apply vacuum to the filling headand compressed air to the fiuifing head on Which lamp bulbs remain seated.

10. Apparatus for filling and positioning charges of provided withan equally spaced-pick-up station, filling head and flufling head for mounting a series of lamp bulbs thereon, a cutter mechanism vfor producing shreds from astrip of the material, a suction tube extending from each filling head to points adjacent the cutter mechanism to receive a charge of shredded material, means including avvalve for applying vacuum to each tube andfilling head, an air nozzle connected to each flufling' head to fluff the material within a bulb seated on said head, means including a valve to supply compressed air to said nozzle, a movable transfer unit for each material filling section, said units having a plurality of suction cups for gripping and releasing the lamp bulbs in a section together with means to move said suction cups and the gripped bulbs vertically and horizontally to transfer the bulbs successively from the pick-up station to the filling head and then to the flufiing head, and means controlled by the cutter mechanism to actuate the transfer unit in one section and simultaneously actuate the vacuum and air valves in the othersection.

ll. Apparatus for filling and positioning charges of shredded lighkproducing material Within the interior of aplurality of flash lamp bulbs, said apparatus having a plurality of material filling sections, each section being provided with an equally spaced pick-up station, filling head and flutfing head for mounting a lamp bulb thereon, a cutter mechanism for producing shreds from a strip of the materialyasuction tube extending from each filling head to points adjacent the cutter mechanism to recei ve a charge of shredded material, means including a valve for applying vacuum to each tube' and filling head, an air nozzle connected to each fluffing'head to fiufl the material withina bulb seated on said head, means including a valve tosupply compressed air to each nozzle, a transfer unit'for each material filling section operable to move the bulbs in saidsection successively from the pick-up station to the filling andfiuffing heads, each transfer unit including a vertically and horizontally movable carriage, a plurality ofyacuum cups mounted on said carriage for movement into engagement With the lamp bulbs, means energizing the vacuum cups togrip the lamp bulbs,ineans to move the carriage upwardly, horizontally, and downlwardly in successionto move the bulbs in sequence to theffilling head or the; flufiing head, means to deenergize the vacuum cups to release the lamp" bulbs on the filling and flufling heads, and means controlled bythe'cut'ter mechanism to operate the transfer unit in one material fillingsection and simultaneously actuate the'vacuum and air valves in the other section to effect filling and-fluffing of lamp bulbs in said other section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2, 47 0 :Geis Ap 1 19, 2,760,318 cBrenneck et a1 Aug. 28, 1956 

